Pop craftsman and producer extraordinaire plots U.S. tour
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| Todd Rundgren - State 2013 |
He’s a wizard. He’s a true star, and he’s hitting retirement
age, but that doesn’t mean Todd Rundgren has tired of creating pop-rock magic. His
new studio album, State, will hit the
streets on April 9.
State is Rundgren’s
24th solo album, and this danceable blend of rock, soul, R&B and
electronica will be released on the Esoteric Antenna label via Cherry Red. In
support of State, Rundgren, who
celebrates his 65th birthday in 2013, will embark on an 11-city U.S.
tour in May.
In the late ‘60s, Rundgren fronted the psychedelic-pop outfit
The Nazz, before leaving in 1969 to go solo and record his debut LP Runt. However, it was 1972’s Something/Anything? that established
Rundgren as a sublime talent both as a songwriter and a studio artist, having
played every instrument and singing every vocal part on the record, as well as
serving as producer. He would go to make other landmark albums such as Todd, The Hermit of Mink Hollow and A
Wizard A True Star.
Returning to the group format, Rundgren formed the progressive-rock
visionaries Utopia in 1974, recording nine albums with the band. Expanding his
horizons, Rundgren also made a name for himself as a producer, twiddling the
knobs for classic records by the likes of Patti Smith, The New York Dolls,
Cheap Trick, XTC, the Psychedelic Furs and Hall and Oates, although it was Meat
Loaf’s mega-hit Bat Out of Hell that
cemented his reputation as a studio wunderkind.
In addition, Rundgren composed all the music and lyrics for
Joe Papp’s 1989 Off-Broadway production of Joe Orton’s “Up Against It” – the screenplay
of which was commissioned by The Beatles for what was to be their third movie.
He’s also scored such movies and TV shows as “Dumb and Dumber” and “Pee Wee’s
Playhouse,” respectively.
It figures to be a busy year for Rundgren, who will hold his
annual musical summer camp, known as Toddstock v6.5, June 17-22 near New
Orleans.
Check out the track listing for State below:
1. Imagination
2. Serious
3. In My Mouth
4. Ping Me
5. Angry Bird
6. Smoke
7. Collide-A-Scope
8. Something From Nothing
9. Party Liquor
10. Sir Reality
In support of State,
Rundgren’s U.S. tour will hit these hot spots:
May 5 – Woodstock, N.Y., Bearsville Theater
May 8 – Norfolk, Conn., Infinity Hall
May 10 – New York, N.Y., The Gramercy Theatre
May 11 – Philadelphia, Pa., Trocadero Theatre
May 12 – Huntington, N.Y., The Paramount
May 14 – Kent, Ohio, The Kent Stage
May 15 – Pittsburg, Pa., Rex Theater
May 16 – Columbus, Ohio, Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
May 18 – Cincinnati, Ohio, Bogart’s
May 19 – Chicago, Ill., Park West
May 20 – Minneapolis, Minn., Varsity Theater
